Instrument supporting device

ABSTRACT

An instrument supporting device adapted to be pressed directly into a hole or aperture in a panel of any of a plurality of thicknesses and secure therein or thereto any of a variety of instruments, the support device automatically compensating for wear caused by vibration or repetitive removal and reinsertion into the hole in the panel, and permitting easy removal of the support from the panel without twisting or turning. A plurality of stepped resilient fingers or limbs are resiliently stressed inwardly as the support enters the aperture, and spring outwardly to engage the aperture-edge of the panel at the rear thereof and retain a portion of the support tightly against the front face of the panel. Key means may engage in a seat in the panel edge to preclude rotation of the support in the aperture. Preferably the resilient limbs are provided in two or more sets, each set being of different configuration whereby to accommodate a wider variety of panel gages.

United States Patent 1191 Frey, Jr. et al.

[.1 11 3,794,278 1451 Feb. 26, 1974 l l INSTRUMENT SUPPORTING DEYICE[75] lnventors:' Sydney W. Frey, Jr-, Upland;

Donald L. Gaa, Riverside, both of Calif. I

[73] Assignee: Bourns, Inc, Riverside, Calif.

[22] Filed: Jan. 10, 1972 [21] Appl. No: 216,400

Primary E) caminerWilliam l-l. schultz Attorney, Agent, 0r Firr71 William G. Becker ABSTRACT pressed directly into ahole or aperture in a panelof anyof a plurality of thicknesses andsecure therein or thereto any ofa variety of instruments, the support device automatically compensatingfor wearc aused by vibration or repetitive removal and reinsertion intothe hole in the panel, and permitting easy removal of the support fromthe panel without twisting or turning. A plurality of stepped resilientfingers or limbs are resiliently stressed inwardly as the support entersthe aperture, and spring outwardly to engage the apertureedge of thepanel at the rear thereof and retain a portion of the support tightlyagainst the front face of the panel. Key means may engage in a seat inthe panel edge to preclude rotation of the support in the aperture.Preferably the resilient limbs are provided in two or more sets, eachset being of different configuration gages.

' 1 4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures panel were automatically Compensated.

CROSS-REFERENCED APPLICATIONS In respect of certain details of thedisclosure herein contained, this disclosure is related to thatcomprised in application for Letters Patent of Sydney W. Frey, Jr.entitled DIGITAL INDICATING KNOB-ENCLOSED MULTI-TURN POTENTIOMETER,'Ser.No. 216,520, filed concurrently herewith, to which reference may be madeas may be required.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION a. The Prior Art There are known in theprior art a number of socalled snap-in mounting devices, either formedintegrally with an instrument housing or support, or formed as aseparate device adapted to have an instrument or the like securedthereto, and all devised to be pressed into an aperture in a flat thinpanel and be therein retained by hooks or claws or the like that engagethe rear face of the panel. An example of such devices, adapted tosupport a variable resistor or the like, is disclosed in U. S. Pat. No.3,500,282. The prior-art devices were each designed to be used with apanelof a single specific thickness and were unsatisfactory for use withpanels of other thickness. Further, there was no provisionfor-compensation due to wearthat occurred in instances wherein the panelwas subject to vibration. It is evident that it would be of value if adevice of the noted character could be used with a panel of any ofseveral standard thicknesses, and of further value if any wearing of thedevice at the region of contact with the b. The Present Invention Asillustrated herein in a preferred exemplary embodiment, the invention isused to support a multi-tum precision potentiometer, which is a typicalpanelmounted instrument. The invention is in the form of a cup-likedevice adapted to encircle and protect a portion of the supporteddevice, and in the preferred form, support the instrument by attachmentof the base or floor of the cup-like instrument supporting device to.the base of the supported'instrument, which in the illustration is aknob-enclosed potentiometer. Other modes of attachment may be employedas will become evident as the description proceeds. The generallycylindrical body portion of the device or cup terminates at its forwardend in a peripheral rim or flange that is dimensioned and shaped to abutagainst the front face of a panel adjacent the aperture. The cup body isinterrupted at spaced locations to provide longitudinal openings orrecesses between the base and rim of the device, to provide'clearancefor respective limbs comprised in sets of resilient limbs spaced aroundthe body and each integral with the base and extending for wardly towardthe rim and outwardly, and having at its,

. 2 The resilient limbs of the device are integral with the body of thedevice at the base and are so formed and constructed as to divergeoutwardly away'from the longitudinal openings or interruptions in thebody of the device when free, whereby when the device is forced, basefirst, through the receiving aperture in a panel, the

limbs are forced or cammed inwardly toward the axis of the aperture, andstressed, by cam action of the aperture wall on the inclined outersurfaces of the limbs, until one or more of shoulders of the steps atthe ends of the limbs pass through the aperture and are free to spreadoutwardly to the. extent permitted by the next step of the series. Thedevice is thus pressed or: forced inwardly into the panel aperture untilthe flange or rim contacts the front face of the panel. At thetermination of that movement, one of the inclined faces of the-steps onthe outer face of each of the limbs of at least one set of limbs engagesthe rear corner edge of the panel at the aperture. The engaged curvedfaces of the steps of the limbs exert forces on the panel that tend topull or draw the device rearwardly, and hence serve to insure that therim is firmly seated against the face of the panel. Further, since therisers and treads'of the steps are not right-angled, but are inclinedrelative to both the axis through the aperture and the rear face of thepanel, thelimbs not only effect a secure locking of the device in theaperture but also automatically'accommodate the limbs to a panel of anyof a plurality; of thicknesses or gages. Further, due to the. continuingstress set up in the limbs during the insertion of the device into theaperture, the limbs automatically spring outwardly and compensate forany wearing at thefrisers. or treads of the steps due to contact withthe panel. Additionally, since the corners or lines of any particularjuncture between the riser and tread portions of a selected step on eachof the limbs coincide with a circle. only when the limbs are fullysplayed out and free, the rear marginal corner of the panel at theaperture is not enga ed by'the entire arc of the riser or tread of theof limbs being individually designed and adapted for accommodation ofany panel comprised in a respective family of panel thicknesses .orgages between a designed minimum and maximum limits. However, as will Ibe evident, a single 'set of two or three limbs is sufficient to providefor secure snap-in attachment of an instrument to a panel of any of avariety of gages. Further, while the inclined risers and treads of theresilient limbs are preferably formed along arcs of circles all ofdiameter greater than the diameter of the aperture in the panel, thatis, formed along arcs coincident with circles when thelimbs are inoutermost and fully splayed 'positions, the limbs may be formed inposition in their respective body openings or interruptions and with thestep surfaces on arcs of circles of larger diameter than that of anyaperture in which the device is to be used, and the limbs subsequentlydeformed outwardly under influence of heat and force so as to occupypositions outside the circular outline of any such aperture, it isevident that most superior results are attained with the preferred formof the device herein disclosed in detail strument in an aperture in anyof panels of differing thicknesses.

Another object of the invention is to provide a readily-removablesnap-in instrument supporting device for mounting an instrument in anaperture in a panel, which device automatically compensates for wearing.incident to moving contact with the panel.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an instrumentsupporting device comprising a rim portion for abutting the front faceof a panel adjacent an aperture in the panel and having arearwardly-extending body with forwardly-extending free-ended resilientcantilever limbs, the forward ends of which are stepped to engage thepanel at the rear edge of the aperture and draw the rim portion snuglyagainst the face of the panel irrespective that the panel may be of anyof several different thicknesses.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter be setout or made evident in the appended claims and detailed description of apreferred embodiment of the invention illustratedin the accompanyingdrawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE-DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a pictorial view, to no specificscale, depicting the presently-preferred exemplary embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the device of the invention depicted in FIG.-1, with portions sectioned and with an instrument nested in andsupported by the device, the scale being somewhat enlarged and onefeature exaggerated in the interest of clarity;

FIG. 3 is a rear face view of the device depicted in FIG. 1,to'enlarged'scale; J

FlG.'.4 is a front face view of the device depicted in FIG. 1, toenlarged scale;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view, greatly enla'rged, showing adetail of the stepped end of a resilient limb of the device depicted inFIG. 1, with other portions of the device; and

FIG. 6 is a fragementary enlarged sectional view illustrating details ofthe coaction of the device of the invention with a portion of aninstrument supporting panel. I

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The device according to the invention, depicted ina preferred form in the drawings, and therein denoted generally by thenumber 10, is preferably formed of glass-fiber filled thermoplasticsynthetic resinous material such as nylon or polytetrafluorethylene orsimilar material, by injection-molding techniques well known in theplastics molding industry. The device 10 is formed with a flange or rim10f of outer dimension or diameter somewhat in excess of the dimensionor diameter of the panel aperture or hole into which the device is tofit, for example, one and one-eighth inch diameter in the case of al-inch diameter panel aperture. As is indicated in FIG. 2, the rear faceof the flange or rim of the exemplary device is adapted to repose inintimate contact with the front face of a panel P. The device 10comprises a body portion 10c that terminates at its rear in a base 10b.The body portion is formed with sets of longitudinally-extendinginterruptions herein shown as openings, such as l0e, preferablyuniformly spaced apart around the body. Aligned with respective ones ofthe interruptions and partly extending thereinto, are resilientcantilever limbs such as 10w, 10x, 10y, and-102, which as indicated inFIGS. 1, 2 and 3 merge at their rear ends with the body portion and base10b. The resilient limbs shown are comprised in sets, limbs 10:: and 102in one set and 10w. and 10y in another set. Excepting theirspecially-shaped forward ends, all of the limbs may be otherwiseidentical. Each of the limbs is of width less than the opening orinterruption into which it may-be pressed or forced in the manner of acantilever beam spring anchored at its rear end; each of the openingssuch as l0e being dimensioned to comfortably receive its respectivecantilever limb without frictional contact. As will be made evident, allof the limbs may be identical and thus be comprised in only one set oflimbs; or, as is preferred and shown, are paired into two sets in eachof which sets the limbs are alike but different from those of the otherset.

As is indicated in the drawings and previous summary, the body 100 ofthe device 10 is adapted to be pressed into an aperture such as thatindicated at A in FIG. 2, the limbs resiliently entering into theirrespect'ive interruptions or openings lOe as their curved outer surfacescontact and are cammed inwardly by the surface or edge corner of thepanel in the aperture. The aperture A is shown exaggerated in diameter,in he interest of clarity. It is made only slightly greater in outlinedimension or diameter than the outer outline dimension or diameter ofthe body 10c of the device immediately rearwardly of rim or flange 10f.

The forward ends of the resilient cantilever limbs are each formed witha plurality of steps the risers and treads of which are inclindedrelative to the direction of the longitudinal-axis of the device and areinclined also relative to'the rear surface of the panel with which thelimbs are in part adapted to coact, as is indicated in FIGS. 2, 5 and 6.The principles of coaction of the steps of the limbs with the corner ormarginaledge of the panel around the aperture are substantially-the samefor all the limbs, hence the relationship of only one will be describedin detail. As the device is pressed or forced home in aperture A ofpanel P (FIG. 6), in the direction indicated by the arrow in thatfigure, the

panel surface in the aperture is engaged by the curved identical.

. movement of the limbs. The action continues until flange f contactsthe panel. At that stage of the movement, one or another of the inclinedsurfaces such as R1, R2,-et c. is left in contact with the rear corneredge of the panel at the aperture, as shown, for example in FIG. 6wherein the inclined riser R2 of a step is in contact with the corneredge of the panel P at aperture A. The limb 101, there shown infragmentary form, is urged radially outwardly (downwardly in thefigure), and hence acts to lock the device with the flange or rim seatedagainst the front face of the panel. The locking effect is illustratedin FIG. 2. As is indicated in FIG. 6, while a different one of theinclined faces of the steps will become the active locking surface isdifferent thicknesses of panel, such as of minimum thickness T2, ormaximum thickness T3, or any'intermediate thickness, e.g., T1, areencountered, the action is the same.

As is evident, with different sets of the resilient limbs formed withrespectively differently dimensioned step formations, a greater range ofpanel gages can be accommodated by the device. For example, referringtoFIGS. 3 and 4, if one set of the limbs, such as 10. and

FIG. 5 and'another set such as .10w and 10y is formed quate to lock thedevice to a panel, and a larger range of gages or thicknesses of panelsmay be accommodated. Obviously, in some instances limbsof both sets mayconcurrently act to lock'or secure the device on the panel, and it isevident that, for example, the step formations on all of the limbs ofthe devicemay be While two sets of limbs, each set comprising aplurality of limbs, have. been illustrated, it is evident that a singleset of three identical limbs will effectively act to secure the deviceto a panel, as would two sets each comprising three limbs, or otherplural-limbsets. A single set of two limbs has been foundto beeffective, since the flange 10f is effective to prevent wobbling of 40the device in the aperture.

It will be noted that with the limbs free, as depicted in F IG. 1, andwith the face corners of the risers and treads formed to coincide withrespective circles of progressively changing diametral dimensionsindicated,

the limbs and steps when forced inwardly will not presem to the rearcorner edge of the panel at the aperture, step surfaces of the sameradii as that'of the aperture, since the radial distance of the stepfrom the axis has decreased. As a consequence, each'limb will contactthe panel only at and immediately adjacent its side edges, such as atthe locations indicated at E1 and E2 in F IG. 1, and not at any portionof the riser'or tread of the step between those locations. Thus, aspossible wearing and abrasions occurs, as may be caused by frequentremoval and replacement of the device in the aperture, the wear occursat the locations such as E1 and E2 and the contacting surface area ofthe riser. or tread of the step merely becomes somewhat wider but doesnot adversely affect the locking action of the inclinedstep resilientlimbs.

To aid in orienting the device and an attached instrument in aparticular desired attitude relative to the' panel, the device is formedwith an external key or ridge 10!: (FIG. 1), dimensioned to be snuglyreceived in an appropriately located notch in the periphery of apertureA in the panel. Additionally, the base lQb is t of electrical terminalsor leads, or other means'extending from the instrument to be supported.Also, the base is formed with specially located and/or specially shapedand spaced-apart key holes, such as 10k, adapted to receivecomplementary and complementarily spacedapart rearwardly-extendingfastener pins protruding from the rear of the instrument case. The pinsmay be specially oriented as shown in FIG. 3 and may be thermoplasticand thus may be heat-swaged over the base 10b adjacent the respectivekey holes, to firmly secure the instrument I (FIG. 2) to the device 10,as shown and described more completely in the aforementioned applicationSer. No. 216,520 now US. Pat. No. 3,757,732 of Sydney W. Frey, Jr. Thusan instrument, which may snugly fit inside the body of the device, maybe firmly but .removably affixed to the panel by merely pressing thedevice home in the aperture. As is evident, the instrument I may bepermanently affixed to device 10 as indicated, or by other means such asadhesive,

prior to insertion of the device into the aperture in the panel.Thus'affixing the instrument to a panel in adesired oriented attitude,secure against loosening by vibration, etc., is reduced to the simpleact of pressing the assembled instrument and mounting device 10 into theaperture in a panel. Removal of the device from the panel is easilyaccomplished by pressing a cylindrical tube, of internal diameter orarea and dimensions equal to that of the aperture A, forwardly'over-theresilient limbs so as to move the stepped ends inwardly out of contactwith the panel, and pulling the instrument and device forwardly out ofthe tube and panel aperture.

Having disclosed a preferred embodiment of our inventionin detail, weclaim:

1. An instrument supporting device for detachably supporting aninstrument in an aperture in a panel, said device comprising:

a front rim portion to abut against the front face of a panel adjacentan aperture in the panel;

a body portion integral with said rim portion], of configurationcomplementary to the aperture and dimensioned to extend through andrearwardly beyond the-aperture, the, body portion terminating at a rearend and having a plurality of longitudinallyextending spaced-apartinterruptions therein between the front rimportion and the rear end; and

a plurality of resilient cantilever limbs spaced around said bodyportion and each integral with said body portion at a respectivelocation rearwardly from said rim portion and extending forwardly fromthat location and outwardly away from the body portion toward said rimportion and each having a free end least first and second sets thereofeach of the setscircular aperture in a panel.

3. An instrument supporting device as defined in claim 1, in which saidlimbs are uniformly spaced around the circumference of said bodyportion, and in which said interruptions are in the form oflongitudinally-extending openings in said body portions.

4. An instrument supporting device for detachably supporting aninstrument in an aperture in a panel, said device comprising:

a front rim portion to abut against the front face of a panel adjacentan aperture in the panel;

a body portion integral with said rim portion, of configurationcomplementary to the aperture and dimensioned to extend through andrearwardly beyond the aperture, the body portion terminating at a rearend and having a plurality of longitudinallyextending spaced-apartinterruptions therein between the front rim portion and the rear end;and

a plurality of resilient cantilever limbs spaced around saidbody portionand each integral with said body portion at a respective locationrearwardly from said rim portion and extending forwardly from thatlocation and outwardly away from the body portion toward said rimportion and each having a free end rearwardly of said rim portion;

said body portion having interruptions therein for accommodating radialinward movement of the free ends of respective ones of said resilientlimbs incident to movement of the body portion into and through theaperture in a panel,

said resilient limbs each having a plurality of inclined steps on thefree end thereof positioned and shaped to present a forwardly andinwardly inclined surface to the rear marginal edge at the aperture in apanel of any of a plurality of different thickness dimensions;

and said rear end' of said device being in the form of a base parallelto said rim portion, said base having apertures therein for reception ofattachment means for an instrument, and said body portion being ofspatial configuration adapted to receive and support an instrumentattached to said base.

whereby said device may be quickly, easily and firmly attached andremoved from apertured panels of various different thicknesses.

7 :UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE v CERTIFICATE 'OF CORRECTION Patent No.-43, 794, 278 Dated February 26, 1974 Inventor(5) Sydney W. Frey, Ir.and Donald L. Gaa

It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent andthat said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 3, Line 57, "fragementary" should read -fragmentary-..

Column 4, Line 41, "he" should read the-. Column 4, Line 49, "inclinded"should read "inclined- Column 5, Line 14, "is" should read if- Column 8,Line 25, "base. should read base,

Signed and sealed this 12th day of November 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

McCOY M. GIBSON JR c. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner ofPatents FORM PO-IOSO (10-69) 1 USCOMM DC 6o376 p69 w v.5, covznmazu'rPRINTING OFYFICE I969 0-366-334

1. An instrument supporting device for detachably supporting aninstrument in an aperture in a panel, said device comprising: a frontrim portion to abut against the front face of a panel adjacent anaperture in the panel; a body portion integral with said rim portion, ofconfiguration complementary to the aperture and dimensioned to extendthrough and rearwardly beyond the aperture, the body portion terminatingat a rear end and having a plurality of longitudinally-extendingspaced-apart interruptions therein between the front rim portion and therear end; and a plurality of resilient cantilever limbs spaced aroundsaid body portion and each integral with said body portion at arespective location rearwardly from said rim portion and extendingforwardly from that location and outwardly away from the body portiontoward said rim portion and each having a free end rearwardly of saidrim portion; said body portion having interruptions therein foraccommodating radial inward movement of the free ends of respective onesof said resilient limbs incident to movement of the body portion intoand through the aperture in a panel, and said resilient limbs eachhaving a plurality of inclined steps on the free end thereof positionedand shaped to present a forwardly and inwardly inclined surface to therear marginal edge at the aperture in a panel of any of a plurality ofdifferent thickness dimensions, and said limbs comprising at least firstand second sets thereof each of the sets comprising at least two limbsand the inclined steps of the limbs of any set thereof differing indimensional spacing from said rim portion from the dimensional spacingof the inclined steps of the limbs of another set thereof, whereby saiddevice may be quickly, easily and firmly attached and removed fromapertured panels of various different thicknesses.
 2. An instrumentsupporting device as defined in claim 1, in which said device is ofgenerally circular configuration and thereby adapted to be mounted in acircular aperture in a panel.
 3. An instrument supporting device asdefined in claim 1, in which said limbs are uniformly spaced around thecircumference of said body portion, and in which said interruptions arein the form of longitudinally-extending openings in said body portions.4. An instrument supporting device for detachably supporting aninstrument in an aperture in a panel, said device comprising: a frontrim portion to abut against the front face of a panel adjacent anaperture in the panel; a body portion integral with said rim portion, ofconfiguration complementary to the aperture and dimensioned to extendthrough and rearwardly beyond the aperture, the body portion terminatingat a rear end and having a plurality of longitudinally-extendingspaced-apart interruptions therein between the front rim portion and therear end; and a plurality of resilient cantilever limbs spaced aroundsaid body portion and each integral with said body portion at arespective location rearwardly from said rim portion and extendingforwardly from that location and outwardly away from the body portiontoward said rim portion and each having a free end rearwardly of saidrim portion; said body portion having interruptions therein foraccommodating radial inward movement of the free ends of respective onesof said resilient limbs incident to movement of the body portion intoand through the aperture in a panel, said resilient limbs each having aplurality of inclined steps on the free end thereof positioned andshaped to present a forwardly and inwardly inclined surface to the rearmarginal edge at the aperture in a panel of any of a plurality ofdifferent thickness dimensions; and said rear end of said device beingin the form of a base parallel to said rim portion, said base havingapertures therein for reception of attachment means for an instrument,and said body portion being of spatial configuration adapted to receiveand support an instrument attached to said base. whereby said device maybe quickly, easily and firmly attached and removed from apertured panelsof various different thicknesses.